People and Pop Culture

The Int'l Boxing Association (AIBA) banned African Boxing Confederation (AFBC) President KELANI BAYOR for three years for "allegedly provoking the crowd at the continental championships in Brazzaville last June." Bayor is an AIBA VP and exec committee member as well as chair of Togo's national Olympic committee. AIBA said that the ban was "from all boxing activities and responsibilities and could not be appealed" (REUTERS, 9/11). ... Brasileiro side Chapecoense "parted company" with its second coach in two months on Monday, releasing VINÍCIUS EUTRÓPIO after "a barren run" that left the club in third-to-last place in the league (REUTERS, 9/11).

Northern Ireland football team Manager MICHAEL O'NEILL was "arrested on suspicion of drink-driving." He was detained by police "on the outskirts of Edinburgh on Sunday." He is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff's Court on Oct. 10, "two days after Northern Ireland's final World Cup qualifier match against Norway" (BBC, 9/12). ... Arsenal Manager ARSÈNE WENGER said that his "dedication to Arsenal’s values persuaded him to reject an offer" from ManU in '01 and continue his career at the north London club. A move to ManU "would have caused shockwaves." On why he turned down ManU, Wenger said, "Because I love the values of this club and, for me, a club is about values first" (London GUARDIAN, 9/10). ... Former England cricketer JAN BRITTIN died from cancer, aged 58. Brittin scored 1,935 runs in 27 Test matches, making five centuries in a 19-year int'l career. She was part of England's World Cup-winning squad in '93 (BBC, 9/12). ... National Rugby League side Cronulla Sharks head coach SHANE FLANAGAN and Manly Sea Eagles head coach TRENT BARRETT were "stung" with a combined A$50,000 ($40,106) in fines from the NRL for comments made about referees following last weekend's finals losses. Flanagan was hit with a breach notice of A$30,000 ($24,064) after he labeled the officiating as "disgraceful" in his team's elimination loss on Sunday. Barrett's fine was A$20,000 ($16,042) after he "blamed officials for ending Manly's season" (AAP, 9/12).

NADAL SPEAKS OUT: RAFAEL NADAL came out "strongly against plans by Catalan nationalists to hold a banned independence referendum." Catalonia's government "is determined" to hold the Oct. 1 vote on breaking away from Spain, "despite warnings that they are breaking Spanish laws." Nadal: "You can't skip the laws because you want to skip them. ... I think what is happening on October 1 ought not to take place because, from my point of view, everyone should respect the law. ... I can't run a red light because that traffic light doesn't seem right to me" (BBC, 9/12).